Improvement in cigar-machines



PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. TANNER, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN CIGAR-MACHINES.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 117,482, dated July 25,1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. TANNER, Of the cityand county ofProvidence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in OigarwMaehines.

My improvement relates to that class of maehines which has a separateset of bed-rollers and pressing-rollers; and consists in combining withsaid rollers and their main shaft an adjustable frictional gauge-rod 5an d I do hereby declare that the following' specification, taken inconnection with the drawing furnished and forming a part of the same, isaclear, true, and exact description thereof'.

Referring to the drawing, Figure l represents, in perspective, a portionof the drivin g-shaft with my improved adjustable frictional gaugeplaced therein. Fig. 2 represents the same in longitudinal verticalsection. Fig. 3 represents, in longitudinal vertical section, a machinein which my gauge is employed.

My improvement is particularly adapted for use with the machinesubstantially as described in the Letters Patent granted to myself' andF. D. Bliss, July 5, 1870. rIhat machine is represented and described insaid patent as being provided with a forked spindle locatedlongitudinally in the center of the main shaft, and with its projectingor forked end surrounded by the sev eral rollers.

A represents the several bed-rollers, and B the pressing-rollers. O is astandard,4sustaining the main or driving-shaft D, to the end of which acrank is attached. E is the frictional gaugerod, fitted to a cylindricalrecess within the main shaft. Its head e is a smooth-faced disk. F is acircular knob, fitted to the. exterior ofthe main shaft and secured tothe frictional gauge-rod stem by the pin f, which passes through alongitudinal slot, a., in the main shaft. The exterior of the main shafton one side is flattened, forming the plane surface c. Within the knob Fis a dat spring, el, which presses with frictional contact against theplane surface, and by such contact holds the gauge-rod in any desiredlongitudinal position. By this arrangement it is adapted for-use in themanufacture of long or short cigars, and leaves the operator free to usehis hand, after having adjusted the gauge-rod, for the rolling Or making of the` filler, and then, when the Wrapper has been applied, thegauge-rod may be again set, so as to force the cigar against lingers,which form the tip. By adding this device to the machine, substantiallyas described in the patent referred to, with rollers partially roughened or longitudinally corrugated, it will perform the entireoperation of making the cigar excepting the cutting or squaring of thefire end, which may be done in any of the well-known methods.

I am aware that forked spindles have heretofore been used in combinationwith a longitudinally-actin g spring for forcing it out of the mainshaft against the filler embraced by the rollers; and also that asimilar device without frictional application has been used as aforcing-rod, as is, for instance, exhibited in the Letters Patentgranted to myself and F. D. Bliss, dated July 26, 1870. y

In the case of the spring-spindle first referred to a continual pressmeis exerted longitudinally against the tobacco in the rolls. When a shortcigar is being made the pressure is lessened, because the spring is morecompletely extended. When a long cigar is being made the pressure isincreased, for the spring is shortened or compressed. Therefre the tipsof the cigar would be made with an unequal compression and varied inform. With my improvement the results are more uniform, as the gauge-rodis set by the hand and eye to suit each particular cigar While beingmade.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- The gauge-rod E, provided with a dsked head, a knob,and a frictional device, in combination with the main shaft and theseveral rollers Of a cigar-machine, substantially as described, for thepurposes specified.

Y GEORGE WT. TANNER. Witnesses CLINTON D. SELLEW, J OsHUA C. DOWN, Jr.

